Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer Company: illumin Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design Date Posted: December 09, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the complete product design lifecycle, from initial concept to final execution, ensuring a seamless and impactful user experience.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders within a dedicated product pod to align design objectives with overarching business goals.
• Craft intuitive and engaging user experiences through wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI designs, informed by user research and data analysis.
• Champion user-first design principles and accessibility standards, while maintaining and evolving design systems and component libraries for consistency and scalability.
• Continuously research and implement the latest design trends, tools, and technologies to foster innovation and enhance design methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is mid-level, requiring ownership of the end-to-end design process. The emphasis on a "product-led company" and "transformation" suggests a dynamic environment where design directly influences business strategy and market growth. The hybrid requirement with specific in-office days indicates a structured approach to team collaboration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the entire product design process, including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design, ensuring alignment with product strategy and business objectives.
• Collaborate effectively with product managers and engineers in an Agile environment to translate user needs and business requirements into intuitive and functional design solutions.
• Conduct user research, including interviews and usability testing, to gather insights and validate design decisions, iterating based on feedback and data.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive design systems, component libraries, and style guides to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product interfaces.
• Advocate for UX/UI best practices, accessibility standards (WCAG), and inclusive design principles throughout the design and development lifecycle.
• Present design concepts, user flows, and final mockups to stakeholders, clearly articulating design rationale and rationale-backed recommendations.
• Continuously explore and experiment with new design tools, techniques, and industry best practices to drive innovation and elevate the overall user experience.
• Contribute to the product roadmap by identifying design opportunities and challenges that can enhance user engagement and drive key business metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a hands-on design role with significant ownership. The mention of "product pod" suggests a dedicated, cross-functional team structure common in Agile product development. The emphasis on "data-driven approach" and "user insights" highlights the analytical aspect of the role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for foundational knowledge. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 2-5 years of progressive experience in product design, UX/UI design, or a closely related field, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products. Experience in fast-paced industries such as AdTech, FinTech, or SaaS is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong, comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, design thinking process, interaction design expertise, and visual storytelling capabilities. The portfolio should demonstrate a deep understanding of user needs, balancing aesthetics with functionality.
• Design Tools Proficiency: Expert-level command of industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD).
• Design Systems & Component Libraries: Proven experience in creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems, component libraries, and style guides.
• User Research & Usability Testing: Proficiency in conducting user research methodologies (interviews, surveys) and usability testing to gather actionable insights and inform design iterations.
• Wireframing & Prototyping: Ability to create detailed wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes (low to high fidelity), and final UI mockups.
• Responsive Design Principles: Strong understanding and application of responsive design principles for various devices and screen sizes.
• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within Agile/Scrum development frameworks, collaborating effectively in iterative sprints.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with product managers, engineers, marketing, and other stakeholders.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions, present concepts clearly, and provide constructive feedback.
• Problem-Solving: A strong analytical and problem-solving mindset, with the ability to identify issues and propose effective design solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Front-end Technologies: Familiarity with front-end development concepts and technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, enabling more effective collaboration with engineering teams.
• Accessibility Standards: In-depth knowledge of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and experience implementing accessible design solutions.
• Data Visualization: Experience in designing dashboards or interfaces that effectively visualize complex data.
• SaaS Product Experience: Specific experience designing for Software-as-a-Service platforms.
• AdTech/MarTech Domain Knowledge: Familiarity with the advertising technology or marketing technology landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a strong portfolio is paramount for this role. The "2-5 years" experience level suggests a designer ready to take on significant ownership but still developing advanced strategic design skills. Proficiency in Figma is a strong indicator of current industry trends.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies that illustrate your complete design process from problem definition to solution implementation and impact. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process undertaken, key decisions made, challenges faced, and the final outcome.
• Problem Identification: Demonstrate your ability to identify user pain points and business opportunities through research and analysis.
• Solution Design: Highlight your skills in wireframing, user flow mapping, prototyping, and creating high-fidelity UI designs that effectively address the identified problems.
• User-Centric Approach: Emphasize how user research, testing, and feedback were integrated into your design process to validate and refine solutions.
• Metrics & Impact: Where possible, include metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the impact of your design solutions on user engagement, conversion rates, or business objectives.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Examples of how you have mapped out user journeys and designed intuitive workflows.
• Iterative Refinement: Evidence of how you have iterated on designs based on user feedback, usability testing, or A/B testing results.
• Design System Contribution: If applicable, showcase contributions to or utilization of design systems and component libraries, detailing how they ensure consistency and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for evaluating a designer's process. The prompt specifically mentions "design thinking, interaction design, and visual storytelling," so candidates should structure their portfolio to highlight these aspects with concrete examples. Demonstrating the ability to integrate data and user insights into the design process is also key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the estimated salary range is CAD $75,000 - $105,000 annually. This range considers the cost of living in Toronto, the specific hybrid work arrangement, and the company's stated focus on innovation and growth.

Benefits:

• Flexible Work Environment: Offers adaptability and a better work-life balance.
• Meal Credit: Provided for in-office workdays, contributing to daily convenience and well-being.
• Free In-House Massage: Scheduled every eight weeks, promoting employee wellness and stress reduction.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Includes Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), and Long-Term Disability insurance.
• Prescription, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Standard medical benefits to support employee health.
• Mental Health Services: Access to professional support for psychological well-being.
• Professional Health Services: Coverage for various therapeutic and health-related services.
• Workplace Advisor: Access to professional guidance and support.
• Vitality Wellness App: A digital tool to encourage and track healthy habits.
• $300 Annual Healthcare Spending Account: Provides flexibility for additional health-related expenses.

Working Hours: Full-time, typically based on a standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid model requires 2 days per week in the downtown Toronto office (Tuesdays and Thursdays), with flexibility for remote work on other days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on common compensation data for this role and location. The company provides a robust benefits package that goes beyond standard offerings, emphasizing employee well-being and work-life balance, which is a significant draw for many professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically Advertising Technology (AdTech) and Marketing Technology (MarTech), with a focus on journey planning, execution, and reporting for advertising campaigns. Company Size: Over 100 skilled professionals, indicating a mid-sized company that is likely past its startup phase but still agile and growing. Founded: The company description implies a period of transformation and new leadership, suggesting a recent strategic shift or restructuring, possibly with a history of innovation.

Team Structure:

• Product Pods: The organization utilizes dedicated "product pods," which are cross-functional teams likely comprising product managers, designers, engineers, and possibly QA specialists, working collaboratively on specific product areas.
• Reporting: The Product Designer reports to the Director of Product Design and Research, indicating a clear hierarchy within the design function.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to bring ideas to life, suggesting a highly integrated product development process.

Methodology:

• Product-Led Growth: The company aims to be a product-led organization, meaning the product itself is a primary driver of customer acquisition, retention, and expansion.
• Data-Driven Decisions: A core principle, emphasizing the use of data, AI capabilities, and customer insights to guide product development and business strategy.
• Research & Iteration: Significant investment in upfront work including discovery, customer testing, prototyping, and gathering insights, followed by iterative refinement.
• Agile Development: Implied through the mention of "product pods" and the need for speed and delivery.

Company Website: https://illumin.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company is undergoing a significant transformation, positioning itself as a product-led entity with a renewed focus on innovation, AI, and people. This suggests an exciting, albeit potentially demanding, environment for those who thrive on change and impact. The culture values speed, delivery, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Product Designer. This means the individual is expected to contribute significantly to design initiatives, own specific features or product areas, and work with a degree of autonomy, but still within a supportive structure guided by senior leadership. They are beyond entry-level tasks and ready to take on more complex design challenges and responsibilities.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer reports directly to the Director of Product Design and Research. This provides a clear line of mentorship and oversight, offering opportunities for skill development and exposure to high-level design strategy. Collaboration will also be frequent with Product Managers and Engineers within their assigned product pod.

Operations Impact: Product Designers at illumin are expected to have a direct and measurable impact on the company's success by:

• Enhancing User Experience: Creating intuitive and engaging interfaces that drive user adoption, retention, and satisfaction.
• Driving Business Growth: Designing features that support customer acquisition, conversion, and revenue generation, aligning with the product-led growth strategy.
• Shaping Product Strategy: Providing user insights and design expertise that influence the product roadmap and strategic direction.
• Fostering Innovation: Contributing to the development of cutting-edge solutions that differentiate illumin in the advertising technology market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific design disciplines (e.g., interaction design, user research, design systems), learn new tools, and potentially explore specialization areas.
• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated success and growth, there's potential to move into senior design roles, lead design initiatives, or mentor junior designers.
• Cross-functional Exposure: Working closely with product management and engineering offers a broader understanding of the product development lifecycle and business operations.
• Industry Exposure: Gaining experience in the AdTech/MarTech space, which is constantly evolving with new technologies and strategies.
• Learning & Development: The company invests in professional development, including external training (e.g., Meta Lab), suggesting a commitment to continuous learning and skill augmentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth within a transforming company. The emphasis on professional development and the opportunity to influence a product-led strategy are key attractions for career-minded designers. The direct report to a Director provides excellent mentorship potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. The company maintains a physical office space for specific collaboration days, implying a blend of in-office and remote work. Office Location(s): Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, conveniently located near St. Andrew and Union subway stations. This central location offers accessibility for employees and proximity to business amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Focus: The required in-office days (Tuesdays and Thursdays) are specifically designated for on-site collaboration, suggesting that these days are optimized for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and in-person interaction.
• Tools & Technology: While not explicitly detailed for the workspace, it's implied that designers will have access to necessary hardware, software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite), and potentially collaborative digital tools to support both remote and in-office work.
• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages a mix of focused remote work and interactive in-office collaboration, fostering team cohesion and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, with the flexibility to work remotely on days outside of the mandatory in-office days. This structure aims to balance focused individual work with essential team-based collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is clearly defined with specific in-office days, indicating a structured approach to balancing flexibility with in-person collaboration. The central Toronto location is a significant advantage for commute and access.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Virtual Interview with Talent Advisor: An initial screening call to discuss your background, career aspirations, and fit for the role and company culture. This is an opportunity to ask initial questions. The conversation will be recorded using BrightHire (AI-powered video interview tool).
2. Virtual Interview with Director of Product Design and Research: A deeper dive into your experience, portfolio review of past work, and discussion about the design team, culture, and expectations.
3. Take-Home Design Exercise: A short, practical design challenge that simulates real-world tasks, allowing you to showcase your design thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
4. In-Person Collaboration Session: Meet with the Director of Product Design and Research, a Product Manager, and an Engineer to discuss your design exercise, explore your decision-making process, and assess how your approach aligns with the team's collaborative needs and workflow. This is also an opportunity for you to evaluate the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically, highlighting 2-3 key projects with detailed case studies. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your role, the process, your contributions, and the outcomes.
• Showcase Process, Not Just Polish: Emphasize your design thinking, research methods, iterative process, and how you arrived at your solutions. Wireframes, user flows, and early prototypes are as important as final mockups.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include data or metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion time).
• Tailor to the Role: Review illumin's product and company mission. If possible, subtly tailor your portfolio presentation to showcase projects or skills that align with their AdTech/MarTech focus or product-led growth strategy.
• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to verbally walk through your projects, articulate your design rationale, and answer questions about your decisions, challenges, and learnings.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Goal: The take-home exercise is designed to assess your core design skills in a practical context. Understand the prompt thoroughly.
• Focus on Process: Even for a short exercise, demonstrate your design process. Explain your assumptions, research (even if quick), ideation, and how you arrived at your proposed solution.
• Deliver a Clear Solution: Present a well-reasoned and well-designed solution that addresses the prompt. Ensure visual clarity and usability in your final deliverables.
• Prepare for Collaboration: For the in-person session, be ready to discuss your exercise rationale, defend your design choices, and engage in a collaborative discussion with a multidisciplinary team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is thorough, involving multiple stages and a practical design exercise. The final in-person session emphasizes collaboration, indicating the company values team dynamics and how candidates work with others. Candidates should prepare to discuss their portfolio in detail and demonstrate their thought process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration, given its industry prevalence.
• Sketch: A strong alternative or complementary tool for UI design and prototyping.
• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency in tools like Photoshop and Illustrator for asset creation, image editing, and graphic design support.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting usability testing and gathering user feedback (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze).
• Analytics Tools (Familiarity): While not a direct responsibility, understanding how to interpret data from tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude would be beneficial for data-driven design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role. The focus is on design and user experience tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a critical requirement for this role. The ability to use design systems and component libraries effectively is also highly valued, suggesting a need for structured and efficient design workflows. Familiarity with analytics tools is a plus for data-informed decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Bias for Speed & Delivery: A strong emphasis on execution, moving quickly, and delivering results, reflecting an agile and results-oriented environment.
• Innovation & Experimentation: Encouragement to experiment, bring forward new ideas, and leverage technology and AI to redefine possibilities.
• People-Centricity: Investment in employees, belief in their potential, and a commitment to providing the tools and knowledge for them to succeed.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A foundational principle guiding product development and strategic choices.
• User-Centricity: A commitment to understanding and advocating for user needs throughout the design and development process.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration within product pods, working seamlessly with Product Managers and Engineers.
• Feedback Exchange: An open environment for constructive feedback, both giving and receiving, to drive continuous improvement.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement for team members to share insights, learnings, and best practices.
• Agile & Iterative: Working in sprints, adapting to changes, and continuously refining solutions based on feedback and data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at illumin appears dynamic and forward-thinking, with a strong emphasis on execution, innovation, and employee growth. The values align with a high-performance environment where individuals are empowered to make an impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Transformation: Adapting to the company's ongoing transformation and evolving product strategy requires flexibility and a proactive approach.
• Balancing Speed and Quality: Meeting the demand for rapid delivery while maintaining high standards of design quality and user experience.
• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent communication and alignment across diverse teams (product, engineering, marketing) to deliver cohesive user experiences.
• AdTech/MarTech Complexity: Understanding and designing for the nuances of the advertising technology landscape, which can be complex and rapidly changing.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to hone skills in areas like advanced interaction design, complex user flows, and sophisticated prototyping.
• Design System Mastery: Deepening expertise in building and maintaining robust design systems that support scalability and efficiency.
• Product Strategy Influence: Gaining exposure to and influencing product strategy through user insights and design expertise.
• Industry Trends & Technology: Staying abreast of AI advancements, new design tools, and evolving user behaviors in the digital advertising space.
• Mentorship: Learning from experienced leaders like the Director of Product Design and Research.
• External Training: Access to resources like Meta Lab for specialized skill enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of a company in transformation and growth. The opportunities for learning and development are strong, particularly in areas of advanced design, strategy, and staying current with industry innovations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process & Rationale: Be prepared to articulate your end-to-end design process for a specific project in your portfolio. Explain why you made certain design decisions, the trade-offs you considered, and how you incorporated user feedback.
• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would approach a hypothetical design challenge relevant to illumin's product (e.g., designing a new feature for campaign reporting, improving a user onboarding flow). Focus on your methodology.
• Collaboration & Communication: Prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated with product managers and engineers, managed conflicting priorities, and communicated design vision to non-design stakeholders.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Understanding illumin's Vision: Research illumin's platform, its position in the AdTech market, and its stated goals (product-led growth, AI integration, transformation). Be ready to discuss how your design philosophy aligns with these.
• Team Fit: Consider how your working style and values align with illumin's stated values (speed, delivery, innovation, people-centricity). Be ready to share examples of how you embody these.
• Impact & Metrics: Think about how you measure the success of your designs and how you would contribute to illumin's business objectives through product design.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio projects as compelling stories. Start with the problem, outline your journey, highlight your key contributions, and conclude with the impact.
• Focus on Process: Dedicate significant time to explaining your design process – research, ideation, iteration, and testing. This is crucial for demonstrating your thinking.
• Visual Clarity: Ensure your presentation is visually clean, easy to follow, and effectively showcases your designs at each stage.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Practice presenting your key projects within a set timeframe, highlighting the most impactful aspects.
• Interactive Elements: If possible, use interactive prototypes or screen recordings to demonstrate user flows and interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating both strong design craft and effective collaboration and communication skills. Candidates should be ready to deep-dive into their portfolio and articulate their thought process, aligning their contributions with the company's strategic goals and cultural values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on illumin's careers portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio clearly highlights 2-3 comprehensive case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Tailor your case study selection to showcase experience relevant to SaaS products or the AdTech/MarTech domain if possible.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature your experience with industry-standard design tools (especially Figma), design systems, user research, and Agile methodologies. Quantify achievements wherever possible to showcase your impact.
• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research illumin, its products, and its mission. Practice articulating your design process and rationale for key portfolio projects. Prepare specific examples of your collaborative experiences and problem-solving approaches.
• Company Research: Understand illumin's transformation journey, its product-led growth strategy, and its emphasis on data and AI. Be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience can contribute to these objectives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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